Abstract: This invention provides a new facilitated transport membrane comprising a relatively hydrophilic, very small pore, nanoporous support membrane, a hydrophilic polymer inside the very small nanopores on the skin layer surface of the support membrane, a thin, nonporous, hydrophilic polymer layer coated on the surface of the support membrane, and metal salts incorporated in the hydrophilic polymer layer coated on the surface of the support membrane and the hydrophilic polymer inside the very small nanopores, a method of making this membrane, and the use of this membrane for olefin/paraffin separations, particularly for C3=/C3 and C2=/C2 separations.

Abstract: A copolyimide polymer membrane is provided for separation of hydrocarbons including separation of olefins from paraffins and isoparaffins from other paraffins. The copolyimide polymer membranes include a poly(3,3?-diaminobenzophenone-3,3?,5,5?-tetramethyl-4,4?-methylene dianiline-pyromellitic dianhydride) (abbreviated as poly(DAB-TMMDA-PMDA)). The copolyimide membranes prepared from poly(DAB-TMMDA-PMDA) with varying molar ratios of DAB to TMMDA (abbreviated as PI-DAB-T) showed excellent separation properties for propylene/propane separation.

Abstract: The present invention involves a type of nanoporous macrocycle-containing cross-linked polymeric membrane, a method of making the membrane, and the use of such a novel membrane system for natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery, fuel gas conditioning, natural gas pre-treatment, sulfur removal from fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) and other naphtha streams, as well as aromatic separations such as aromatic/paraffin separation and xylene separation. The nanoporous macrocycle-containing cross-linked polymeric membrane is prepared from a diisocyanate-terminated polyether or a diisocyanate-terminated polyester, that is crosslinked with a nanoporous macrocycle comprising hydroxyl functional groups such as ?-, ?-, and ?-cyclodextrins.

Abstract: The present invention involves a type of nanoporous macrocycle-containing cross-linked polymeric membrane, a method of making the membrane, and the use of such a novel membrane system for natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery, fuel gas conditioning, natural gas pre-treatment, sulfur removal from fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) and other naphtha streams, as well as aromatic separations such as aromatic/paraffin separation and xylene separation. The nanoporous macrocycle-containing cross-linked polymeric membrane is prepared from a diisocyanate-terminated polyether or a diisocyanate-terminated polyester, that is crosslinked with a nanoporous macrocycle comprising hydroxyl functional groups such as ?-, ?-, and ?-cyclodextrins.